Lisbon: The Safety Guide
BY Alex Couto
For many, Lisbon is a very safe city, which is why people choose to settle here for a while. It’s also why we have such a large population of Brazilians fleeing crime and political tensions back home, though our shared language and history also helps.
Now for everything you need to know about safety in Lisbon. Due to systemic racism there is a chance that you might be followed by store assistants if you’re Black. It’s frustrating, but it rarely gets worse than that. You can walk alone at night, but it’s best to avoid venturing into the suburbs after dark. Beware of bouncers in nightclubs, there are several examples of bad practices throughout the city and the best way to avoid them is to be chill and calm. There’s always some kind of a scandal in Portugal that links bouncers to gangs, so be conscious of that and tone down your chat outside clubs.
Don’t worry too much about moving with technology, the population is obsessed with their phones – along with cars, they’re the ultimate status symbol – which means you can take yours out without fear of being robbed.
There is a necessary warning to be issued though. When riding the tourist tram lines (identifiable by the massive queues), please be advised to keep your wallet in your hand. There is a long history of pickpocketing on the tram and the new generation of robbers are just as swift as the one that came before them.
